UDF spoiled consensus on dam issue: Kodiyeri

KOCHI: Accusing the Congress-led UDF government of being biased on the Mullaperiyar dam issue, the CPM on Friday said the UDF had not consulted the Opposition  political parties on the decision to go in for a joint control of the proposed dam at Mullaperiyar. “There is a hidden agenda behind the move. As it is a major issue in which all political parties are involved, the government should not have made such an announcement on its own,” CPM politburo member Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said while inaugurating the CPM Ernakulam district conference at Paravur. Noting that the decision has jeopardised the political consensus on the issue, he said the government’s move will harm the interests of the state. Kodiyeri also asked the Kerala Congress (J), which is part of the ministry, to come clear on its opinion on the issue. “The Cabinet on January 4 had decided to go in for joint control of the new dam. The current move is a shift from its earlier stand that the ownership, control and maintenance of the new dam will be vested with the state. Moreover, the government’s claim that it has got the approval for a new dam is also a political stunt. As such no approval has been granted for the dam. If at all there is an approval, the government should have intimated it to the other parties,” he said. Kodiyeri also lashed out at the UDF saying that it had not shown any enthusiasm in safeguarding the interests of the state on the Mullaperiyar issue. “The government in its affidavit in the High Court had said that the Idukki Dam would be able to hold the water of Mullaperiyar in case of a dam burst. Moreover, it had said that only 450 families will  be affected in case of a dam break. Tamil Nadu has taken advantage of the affidavit, he said.